1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to flushing devices and more particularly to a system for flushing liquid and solid waste that allows a partial-flush or a full-flush.
2. Background Information
In 1994, as part of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, Congress banned the sale of toilets that used 3.6 gallons of water to flush, and mandated the use of 1.6 gallon per flush (gpf) or low-flow units. In light of growing water demands, this federal effort seemed like a painless way of reducing water consumption. In fact, some conservationists claim that the smaller tanks can save more than 200 billion gallons of water per year. However, while the present low-flow tank performs well with liquid waste, it falls short when solid waste is to be flushed. This shortcoming not only frustrates users, but also negates any water conservation benefits intended by the Act, as multiple flushes are required to rid the waste.
A system for allowing either a full or partial flush cycle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,399 (Kartoleksono et al., hereafter referred to as xe2x80x9cthe Kartoleksono patentxe2x80x9d), hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The Kartoleksono patent discloses a dual flush mechanism equipped with two independent flush valves that are each separately controllable by a spring loaded button. This system uses a complex, multi-piece tube, which can suffer from leaks at various junction points. Also, the Kartoleksono patent uses a multi-piece, dual-action push button to activate the flush valves, further complicating the design of the system and creating potential mechanical complications. In addition, the two flush valves are positioned in such a way that some residual amount of water will always remain in the toilet tank regardless of which flush mechanism is operated. Such residual water is undesirable as it is likely to become stale and allow the formation of mildew.
Therefore, what is needed is a low-cost and simple system for allowing flush cycles of varying volume, while ensuring that residual water is not left during a full flush.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a system that allows a user to choose between a high volume and a low volume flush, where an entire volume of water contained in a tank is removed during a high volume flush.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system for flushing material is provided, comprising means for containing flushing fluid, and means for transporting flushing fluid from the means for containing, wherein the means for transporting is located in the means for containing and includes a first opening located at a low volume level and a second opening located directly adjacent to a bottom surface of the means for containing.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a system for flushing material is provided, including a tank for containing flushing fluid, and a tube for transporting flushing fluid from the tank, wherein the tube is located in the tank and includes a first opening located at a low volume level and a second opening located directly adjacent to a bottom surface of the tank.